This website is devoted to the extraordinary mystics and visionaries of the Church, especially those who are lesser known, such as St Gemma Galgani, Blessed Alexandrina da Costa, Sr Consolata Betrone, Therese Neumann, Rev. Pere Lamy, Gabrielle Bossis, Josefa Menendez, Marthe Robin, Servant of God Louise Lateau, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi, Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity, Sister Maria Antonia and others. The author endeavors always to be in communion with the Catholic Church and its teachings.

Obedience to the Pope -How being a faithful disciple of Jesus means respecting the authority of the Pope and the Magisterium

I will keep this very simple: For those tempted to "resist" Pope Francis I tell you: Do NOT set yourselves up against Papal authority, unless it is absolutely justified, because by doing so you are falsely seeking to set Christ against His Vicar.

In an article I wrote entitled "Obedience to the Catholic Church" I explained how Jesus established the authority in the Catholic Church through the Apostles, with Peter as their Head (cf. Matt. 16:18). Through Apostolic and Papal succession, the Bishops are the successors to the Apostles, with the Pope as the successor of Peter, as the Head. And, as successors to the Apostles, it is the Bishops duty in union with the Pope to safeguard and protect the faithful in the purity of the Catholic faith.

Sadly, we currently have some in the Catholic Church who are now openly advocating resistance against Pope Francis, like the American Dr. Kelly Bowring for example, who on Sept 2, 2015 posted an article stating that "Taking offense at Pope Francis is just the beginning",while offering no justification for doing so, other than to present a number of prophesies concerning doctrinal heresies that he and others like him believe the Pope will soon issue. In other words, Dr. Bowring and a few others are beginning to promulgate open rebellion against Pope Francis for a bunch of "what if's" that have not even occurred.
Instead of committing open schism, Dr Bowring cleverly poses his fabricated accusations in the form of a question, saying:"The main question I am raising, based on solid prophecy and on his own behavior, is whether Pope Francis is a fraud, an impostor, a destroyer, a charlatan, a freemason, a wolf in sheep’s clothing and a false shepherd – even quite literally the false prophet of the Book of Revelation, one of the greatest deceivers in the history of the world. And isn’t it worth noting that prophecy does not warn us about simply a bad pope to come in our times, but about a pope who will be the false prophet himself? Let me be clear, as faithful Catholics, we are permitted to question and critique the pope, and especially in this case even at times have the duty to do so.Much prophecy indicates we have entered the last times. Pope Francis’ words and actions consistently confirm that he at least a candidate for the false prophet."

In his article, Dr Bowring even twists one of our Lord's beatitudes, stating "Blessed Are Those Who Take Offense at Pope Francis" Really?!?!?! Who could possibly think that Jesus would bless anyone for taking offense of His appointed Vicar when there is absolutely no valid justification for doing so? If he or others could even name but one heretical official teaching on faith and morals that Pope Francis has made that would be considered binding for all Catholics--the answer is they cannot, because there are none. Thus, their accusations are completely baseless and have no foundation, and all they serve is to incite dissension amongst the faithful.Let us be clear: Making false and unfounded accusations such as these is akin to unjustly accusing a person for a crime that he has not committed (and even more disconcerting is the fact that in this case the one being falsely accused is the Pope, the visible Head of the Catholic Church!). To do so is not only unjust, it is gravely sinful. In my opinion, putting such false accusations in the form of a question does not negate them from being against the 8th Commandment of bearing false witness.

Based on Pope Francis' own behavior?
According to Dr Bowring's own words, his baseless accusations that "Pope Francis is a fraud, an impostor, a destroyer, a charlatan, a freemason, a wolf in sheep’s clothing and a false shepherd" is "..based on solid prophecy and on his own behavior.."

So, Dr. Bowring's grave accusations are "based on solid prophecy and the Pope's own behavior", however he fails to mention any of the Pope's behaviors that could possibly even begin to substantiate such unwarranted accusations. He does however devote a whole paragraph to the idea that "The Great Apostasy Commences"
---Well, I would have to agree that an Apostasy is indeed commencing, perhaps though it is better defined as a Schism, and it is precisely those such as Dr. Bowring who are leading it by fomenting schism by unjustly accusing Pope Francis of all sorts of alleged doctrinal errors that he himself has not even formally issued.

Meanwhile, there have been a flurry of others lately who are fomenting revolt against Pope Francis for some of his Papal appointments, for his encyclical on the environment, for certain "off the cuff" comments that he has made, and for a whole host of other alleged reasons. While there certainly is nothing wrong with an occasional, measured, and well reasoned constructive criticism of the Pope or the Church in certain matters where we are free to do so, it is quite another thing to make false and unfounded accusations against the Pope. And for those reading this who are currently tempted to "resist" Pope Francis I repeat: Do NOT set yourselves up against Papal authority, unless it is absolutely justified, because by doing so you are falsely seeking to set Christ against His Vicar, and if by doing so obstinately on authoritatively defined matters concerning faith and morals, you risk setting your own selves outside of the Catholic church through the schismatic act of formally rejecting the primacy of the Pope.

I would like to state upfront that I have nothing personal against Dr Kelly Bowring--in fact, I have read a couple of his early books which in my opinion were quite good, and awhile back I even wrote a recommendation for one of his books at his request. I bear him no animosity and I would be sincerely overjoyed if he and others of similar disposition were to recant their current accusatory and hyper-critical position vis a vis Pope Francis.

Never forget that the Holy Spirit guides and protects the Church

Papal Infallibility and the Indefectibility of the Church Magisterium -Can one justly disagree with the Pope?
For those concerned about the alleged possibility of some future official doctrinal or dogmatic errors against faith or morals being issued by Pope Francis or some future Pope, well, the official teaching of the Church on this matter will assure you that your concern is completely unfounded. The Holy Spirit is the key in these matters. It is He who is the guardian of the Deposit of Faith. We must recognize that the Paraclete will NEVER allow any heresy to be formally issued or taught by the Pope or the Magesterium in communion with him.

Without going into too much explanation here since there are many articles on the internet concerning Papal Infallibility, such as this excellent one from Catholic Answers, suffice it to say that it is possible for a Pope to error on matters pertaining to faith or morals, because Papal infallibility applies only to solemn, official teachings on faith and morals, not to disciplinary decisions or even to unofficial comments on faith and morals. A pope’s private theological opinions are not infallible; they bear only the weight of his own personal opinion. Only what he solemnly defines as doctrine or dogma is considered to be infallible teaching. And therefore it is ONLY IN VERY SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES where one can possibly be justified in disagreeing with the Pope on matters of faith and morals. As for the Pope's opinions on matters NOT pertaining to faith and morals, such as his opinion on environmental issues for example, well these are simply his own opinions and bear no authority other than that of a well educated and deeply pious man.

Respecting the Office and the Primacy of the Pope
I mention the possibility of disagreeing with the Pope, not because it has anything to do with Dr. Bowring's unjust and unfounded accusations, but only because it is the recent basis of other peoples criticisms against Pope Francis. So yes, there can be occasions (albeit rare occasions) where one can justly disagree with the Pope on matters of faith and morals that have not been formally defined, but obviously it must be done very respectfully, and obviously without false accusations, and with all due respect to the Papal Office. Obviously, on the vast majority of the instances when the Pope himself speaks on matters of faith and morals there is certainly no need to take issue with what he is stating.

However, there are unfortunately some today who are simply looking to pick a fight with the Pope for one reason or another over usually very unimportant matters, and I personally can assure these people that their hyper-critical disposition concerning the Vicar of Christ is not at all pleasing to God, and in fact does great disservice and even harm to themselves, and if done publicly, then also to the faithful.

For sure one CAN respectfully disagree with the Pope on matters that are NOT binding. Some confuse this with FORMALLY rejecting the Pope, as if disagreeing with him on certain informal matters is no different than calling to reject or overthrow the Pope. To the contrary, one may freely (albeit respectfully) disagree with the Pope on any secular matter. One may even disagree with the Pope on general statements from him about faith or morals, that he has not proclaimed as official teachings, though obviously when it comes to faith and morals one should take great caution and be most respectful, because it is obvious the Pope will not often error in such areas, even when making "off the cuff" statements, but nevertheless it does occur occasionally.

What is beginning to happen now is some are calling to reject the Pope based on non-binding matters that they can simply respectfully disagree with him on. They are calling for mutiny in the Barque of Peter, and setting themselves up against God's anointed representative, thus they are showing themselves to be wolves seeking to overthrow the shepherd, and scatter the sheep.

The Barque of Peter and the Captain of the Ship
We have all heard of the rich symbolism that is often used where the Church is referred to as our Holy Mother, and the Pope is often referred to as our Holy Father. Well, we should ask ourselves what kind of faithful sons or daughters of the Church would seek to fling fiery arrows of accusations at their father at every turn? Or again, another rich symbolism of the Church and the Papacy is the Barque of Peter, with the heavenly Captain of the boat being Jesus, and His appointed representative, the Pope, being the earthly captain who is inspired by the Holy Spirit to guide the boat safely through often treacherous waters. What then should we think of certain passengers on a boat who frequently question the Captain's rightful authority and his judgement on navigation and other important matters, thus stirring up mutiny--especially amidst certain storms---when the Captain gives of himself completely in his appointed mission, all for the well being and concern of his passengers?

I will close by stating that as Catholics we should be exceedingly grateful not only for the Sacraments, but also for the inestimable security that is afforded to us by Jesus through following the Pope, the successor of Peter, and the thousands of Bishops, successors to the apostles, who in union together form the Magisterium, knowing that through them we possess the promise and assurance that the defined doctrines and dogmas as taught by the Church are free of any errors.

The Church is likened to Noah's Ark
A very wise and astute man recently made this analogy:
"Basically, the Church is like Noah’s ark – the ark of salvation.
-The Devil will try anything to get us to jump overboard;
-The Captain (Pope) seems erratic at times and we don’t understand or appreciate some of his directives, statements and personnel moves;
-The fellow passengers grate on us as some of them are complete miscreants and don’t follow the Ark rules, but yet they insist upon remaining; while the more cunning ones who think they know better than the Captain seek to sow mutiny amongst the other passengers.
-The ark isn’t going quite in the direction that we think is best,
-And to top it off, the stench of the proverbial animals is nigh unbearable (the stench being all the many sins of the "faithful".)

Yet, while all of the above may be true, but the Ark is STILL the only path to salvation that Christ instituted, and if one jump overboard, the sharks will have their opportunity with them.

-I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against It." (Matt 16:18)
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"Appeal to Pope Francis on the Future of the Family"LINK :http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/what-we-do/news-and-updates/personalities-who-signed-the-filial-appeal-to-pope-francis-on-the-future-of-the-family.html

Glenn, I hope you don't mind this question. I tried to find the answer on the internet, but I couldn't. This is the question....do you get revenue from the number of clicks to your website? I know that this site doesn't have advertising which is a major form of revenue for some website owners, but if you post an article and there is a lot of back and forth in the comment section, does that turn into revenue for you? Thanks for your answer. We live in very contentious times and forgive me if I am tempted to think that somehow you are benefitting monetarily by posting articles where a fight might break out amongst the faithful in the comment section because of the number of clicks made to your website.

Hi Anonymous,Yours is a sincere question and I definitely do not mind you asking at all!

The answer is no--I have no outside advertising on the website for obvious reasons, and I do not receive any revenues from "clicks" to the website or clicks on comments etc. The only revenues I receive are through donations and purchases for the Gift Store. As for contentious subjects, well this is often unavoidable when speaking of God and the Church, given the current state of humanity!

I hope Catholics are praying for the people who seem to sincerely believe what you have written about here, and thank you for this! They have been fearfully deceived by Satan who is doing everything in his power to destroy the Church - his time is short and he knows it! Recall how the prayer to St. Michael came about and also that the anniversary of Fatima is upon us! Satan's days are numbered.People need to remember that Jesus promised the gates of Hell would NEVER prevail against His Church and by believing Pope Francis is an apostate Pope setting out to destroy the Universal Church, one is also rejecting this promise made to us by Jesus Christ Himself!

Pope Francis has tried to point out the false life there is in materialism and his words have been labeled as "socialist". However the lust for goods, comfort and an easy life is exactly what will draw many away from the true life of a disciple of Christ.

Pope Francis has not pointed away from the cross but rather toward the cross. This is not the work of Satan. How absurd to suggest this and how absurd to use the world as a plumbline when God's Word (Jesus Christ) is the only true plumbline.

I appreciate this post because its addresses a good many erroneous beliefs that have been loosed into the 'air'.

Hi Glenn,Good post. I also liked your other recent article on why different mystics have described some of the events of the passion of Jesus differently from their visions. Keep up the interesting work.

The only way Pope Francis could be a "false prophet" is if he is an antipope. But there is no evidence to suggest that he is. If you study Church history you will find that every time that there was a legitimate antipope, there was ALWAYS a legitimate Pope who PUBLICLY challenged the false claims of the antipope. Such is not the case this time. God would never let an imposter antipope charade as the real Pope without the counter claim of the true Pope. To say otherwise is to call God a liar when He says that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church.

Many American so-called conservatives dislike Pope Franics because they put their loyalty to American Neoconservatism ahead of their loyalty to the Church and the Gospel: they are more loyal to America than they are to the Catholic Church.

There is also a group of American conservatives who buy into that SSPX nonsense and have set themselves up as their own popes.

In America, there is actually only a small remnant of what could be called Faithful Catholics. Very small indeed. Most of the rest have put their loyalties to the Left or the Right ahead of their loyalty to the Gospel.

Venerable Pope Pius IX († 1878) recognised the danger that a future pope would be a heretic and “teach contrary to the Catholic Faith”, and he instructed, “do not follow him.”

“If a future pope teaches anything contrary to the Catholic Faith, do not follow him.” (Letter to Bishop Brizen)

We are absolutely in this situation and it's about to become clearer... tothose with eyes to see... Most Catholics no longer follow (by design) Tradition and the true Doctrine and Dogmas of the Faith but are being led astray by the wolves. "Pray for me that I don't flee for fear of the wolves..." Pope Benedict XVI.

Research the following: (Approved)

Our Lady of Good Success (1600s - was specifically a message/warning for the 20th century and beyond and hidden until then as prophesied)Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (esp. "The Two Popes")Marie-Julie Jahenny (esp. "The 2nd Celebration...")Our Lady of LaSaletteAkita, Japan (Cardinals against Cardinals; bishops against other bishops)Prophecy of St. Francis re: " God will send a Destroyer".

Familiarize yourself with the tenets of Marxism and Freemasonry. There you will see a striking similarity which is NOT CATHOLIC, and is of and for MAN and NOT GOD. Things in direct opposition to the Scriptures and teachings of CHRIST and. His. Church PRIOR to. Vat II which did NOT change or define any Doctrine although they made it seem that way, and Councils were ALWAYS held ONLY for that reason, whereas this was outwardly expressed to be "only "Pastoral" in nature.

We don't follow the world, we follow God. They are preparing you to meld with the world.... Seek the Truth alone (Christ) and follow it.

To Anonyomous (two posts above):You are deceiving yourself, my friend, if you think you can be a Catholic and at the same time reject Pope Francis or any Pope. There are ONLY two justifications that can ever be used to reject Papal authority:

1) A Pope who was NOT validly elected by the College of Cardinals.2) A Pope who has officially declared, using Papal magisterial authority, any doctrine that is contrary to the teachings of Jesus, or the official teachings of the Church.

The 2 above reasons are the ONLY two justifications that can ever be used to reject Papal authority, and obviously neither of these correspond to Pope Francis, so those who reject him are schismatics, and are defacto no longer Catholic.

So, I tell you, do not deceive yourself by thinking you are a "true" Catholic by rejecting God's anointed representative, simply because of certain statements (or personal actions) that he has made, which are not official teachings that are binding on the faithful.

"Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; and whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me." (Luke 10:16)

The future alone will tell, Glenn. The things being proposed by this Majesterium are NOT of Christ. I respect the office of the Pope but we are NOT to follow error even if it's from the mouth or actions of a Pope! This has been taught over and over by Saints and Holy Popes down through the ages. Do you dare to set yourself up against this? Even St Peter the first Pope was called out for error in the Gospel.

Do you believe homosexuals should be confirmed in their sin by the Church? Do you believe that adulterers should be admitted to Communion (a grave Sacrilege)? Do you believe in the tough LOVE and admonitions of Jesus Christ - found all over the Scriptures?? Or do you believe in this false charity "wreaking havoc in souls"? Christ also taught that few are saved. FEW, not many, and of that many are called but few chosen. Everyone is ready to follow the world here.... Sorry, doesn't look like that's a "few".

Research and find the Truth - we have the internet now - it's out there if you really want it.

I do not agree with the article posted, by Mark Mallett. Sure we should invite sinners to the table, but MERCY requires REPENTANCE... being SORRY for ones sins. True charity involves assisting others by "admonishing the sinner" (one of the Corporal Works of Mercy). There is nothing new under the sun. Mankind is fallen and as such tends toward sin, including all of the sins of today. Christ's teachings don't change regarding sin because of "the times". NO! If you fail to be sorry and confess your sins and do penance then you are subject to JUSTICE.

There is no mercy unless you are sorry. That is the Truth and the huge problem we face with what's going on. I will leave it all at that and will no longer debate this subject.

Look up the video: Mary Magdalen In the garden of Our Lord. We have to start from The Beginning.

As I wrote in the article above, for sure one CAN respectfully disagree with the Pope on matters that are NOT binding. Some confuse this with FORMALLY rejecting the Pope, as if disagreeing with him on certain informal matters is no different than calling to reject or overthrow the Pope. To the contrary, one may freely (albeit respectfully) disagree with the Pope on any secular matter. One may even disagree with the Pope on general statements from him about faith or morals that he has not proclaimed officially, though obviously when it comes to faith and morals one should take great caution and be most respectful, because it is obvious the Pope will not often error in such areas, even when making "off the cuff" statements, but nevertheless it does occur.

What is beginning to happen now is some are calling to reject the Pope based on non-binding matters that they can simply respectfully disagree with him on. They are calling for mutiny in the Barque of Peter, and setting themselves up against God's anointed representative, thus they are showing themselves to be wolves seeking to overthrow the shepherd, and scatter the sheep.

I think people of solid faith and good will are reacting to the informal statements of Pope Francis which cause harm. No one can say if he intends them this way, but it does seem he harms the salvation of souls when he say certain things even though he says it informally. There are too many of these statements. I don't think it is always the media twisting what he says. I think people are shocked by his comments. I was especially shocked by his approval of the mid term Relatio of the Synod, as some items included in it are clearly wrong, such as comments about homosexuals and valuing their orientation. How could one not be horrified that such a document be given a pass? Its almost as if there are two different people speaking sometimes when we hear what the Pope has said, as some things sound quite orthodox and others not. Who wouldn't be concerned and express that concern for the salvation of souls? In changing the requirements for annullment of marriage, he clearly circumvented objections of the CDF and others before they could be discussed, and changed the trajectory of the coming Synod. Is that a good thing? Does one have to be a catholic intellectual to see what's wrong with some of his actions? No, I think it only takes some sincere concern for the salvation of souls. My heart tells me not to trust him. I know the Lord will not allow him to make formally heretical statements, but his informal statements are damaging enough. I'm grateful that he explosive preliminary synod showed him that some princes of the Church will fight back. Thanks be to God.

I agree with you, Glenn, you're preaching to the choir. However, what the Pope says, as a man -,not speaking ex-Cathedra - clearly demonstrates the heresy of Modernism and the tenets of Freemasonry, therefore extreme caution going forward is required. Most Cathooics today are not practicing and if they are they are the majority is in a state of extreme ignorance regarding the Teue teachings of the Faith , therefore they are easily misled and even off-the-cuff statements are misleading many who don't understand where infallibility comes I to play vs personal opinion - which goes to the point of heresy and apostasy. This is all prophesied by approved private revelation as well as revelation in Scripture. The Body of Christ must go through it's passion just like the Head.

Following this period we will (those who survive) then experience the great Resurrection of the Church and the Restoration of the Faith. Nothing will stop this but we must decide as the lines are being drawn and we are warned by Scripture of a time where "even the Elect" would be deceived if those times were not cut short.

Take heed because the great falling away is at hand and many souls are at stake, Pay very close attention to where he goes and what he says as he arrives and is here, and humbly ask yourself - is this the Pope-speak of old (i.e. a St Pius X) which puts Christ and His Truth first, or a man speaking on behalf of fallen man - attempting to create an EARTHLY "paradise"? Someone attempting to enthrone MAN and his "rights"? Then go and research the tenets of Marxism and Freemasonry.

Also remember the vision of Pope St Leo XIII....

There's little room for error these days. We are being SIFTED, the wheat (few) from the tares (many). NOW.

I agree with the author's points. Pope Francis has made no "ex cathedra" statement thus far that contradicts any of the teachings of the Church. I personally believe that he is well-intentioned and loves his flock, but that he is sometimes prone to speak from his "gut" without fully thinking it through. I also believe that he has some advisers around him who are either misinformed or have their own agendas. As a result, Pope Francis says some things that, quite frankly, any Catholic who is paying attention to the world at this difficult hour might find troubling. As part of the Church militant, it is our job to understand that our current field General knows what he is doing, even if he has some "quirks" about how he leads us and some folks around him who may not be up to the task. As the author has pointed out, it is ok to disagree with the Pope about matters that are not "faith and morals" issues as long as we continue to listen and be obedient to him on the matters that are. At first, I found this very uncomfortable, as we were blessed with both JPII and Benedict for a long time, both of whom were much more considered and insightful men in terms of how the spoke about cultural, political, and economic issues. However, I have learned to adjust and to realize that these discomforting experiences are part of the vehicle God is using to prepare and purify us now for the difficult job of renewing this very fallen world in the not too distant future.

I used to be weary of Pope Francis. He was a loose cannon with his words and not thoughtful like John Paul II or Benedict. Especially him being a Jeuist, some of you may know the state of the Jeuist order today. They have blended in with secular society. You can't even tell they are Jeuists. However, he has learned to control what he says and understood the power his words have more closely. I'm glad I never attacked him personally like some people have. An attack on a Pope is an attack on Christ. He is our Pope and has been chosen by the Holy Spirit to lead our Church.

From what I recall regarding prophecy, an anti-Pope or a false prophet pope will have to become one by brute force. The only way Satan could take over God's throne was by force and he failed. The same is with the Church. There is no legal way for him to do so other than by brute force and violence. Christ was clear that the kingdom of hell would not overcome.

Remember what Mary said to the Apostles about Jesus who personally chose our first Pope. She was also speaking about the Pope because he is the head of the Church on earth. She said "Do what ever he tells you".

"The only way Pope Francis could be a "false prophet" is if he is an antipope...If you study Church history you will find that every time that there was a legitimate antipope, there was ALWAYS a legitimate Pope who PUBLICLY challenged the false claims of the antipope."

Spot on. Any prophet that has mentioned an ant-Pope has also - to my knowledge - clearly indicated that this man will *claim* to be Pope during a time of great turmoil (a time of war, it seems). Furthermore, there will be no election *and* the legitimate Pope will be in exile.

Having studied this topic for some time, I can confidently say that, if these prophecies are correct, Pope Francis I certainly does *not* fit the bill, nor do any of our previous Popes. It is madness to assert the contrary.

Thank you so very much for posting this article. Some of the things I read online are very harsh and critical. I am currently reading the wonderful book, City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda, on the live of the Blessed Mother. Her attitude and behavior towards Peter the first Pope, was admirable. She prayed fervently for him, she listened to him, she showed great deference towards him and towards everything he said. And here he had been a gruff fisherman not too long ago and she the Queen of Grace from the moment of her conception.

"The Pope is not an absolute monarch whose thoughts and desires are law" (POPE BENEDICT XVI)

Everything about the annulment reforms that led to what is now being overwhelmingly called "Catholic Divorce" was done by Pope Francis in an untraditional and authoritarian manner. Rather - it was untraditional precisely because it was so authoritarian. A Church in which such a foundational Sacrament as Matrimony is affected by a mere pen-stroke by such "changes in usage" as those proposed by the new motu proprio is a Church "torn to pieces".

It was precisely the opposite of the exercise of papal authority as defined by his immediate predecessor in his memorable homily of May 7, 2005:

" [S]cience alone cannot provide us with a definitive and binding interpretation; it is unable to offer us, in its interpretation, that certainty with which we can live and for which we can even die. A greater mandate is necessary for this, which cannot derive from human abilities alone. The voice of the living Church is essential for this, of the Church entrusted until the end of time to Peter and to the College of the Apostles.

This power of teaching frightens many people in and outside the Church. They wonder whether freedom of conscience is threatened or whether it is a presumption opposed to freedom of thought. It is not like this. The power that Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors is, in an absolute sense, a mandate to serve. The power of teaching in the Church involves a commitment to the service of obedience to the faith. The Pope is not an absolute monarch whose thoughts and desires are law. On the contrary: the Pope's ministry is a guarantee of obedience to Christ and to his Word. He must not proclaim his own ideas, but rather constantly bind himself and the Church to obedience to God's Word, in the face of every attempt to adapt it or water it down, and every form of opportunism.

Pope John Paul II did this when, in front of all attempts, apparently benevolent to the human person, and in the face of erroneous interpretations of freedom, he unequivocally stressed the inviolability of the human being and of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. The freedom to kill is not true freedom, but a tyranny that reduces the human being to slavery.

The Pope knows that in his important decisions, he is bound to the great community of faith of all times, to the binding interpretations that have developed throughout the Church's pilgrimage. Thus, his power is not being above, but at the service of, the Word of God. It is incumbent upon him to ensure that this Word continues to be present in its greatness and to resound in its purity, so that it is not torn to pieces by continuous changes in usage. "

Glen, the Pope has openly stated that it is dangerous to have personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pope also said that you don't have to believe in God. He said he would baptize "aliens" all of this seams contrary to the teachings of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus said "if you love anyone more than me, then you are not worthy of me"

In his recent speech to Congress, Pope Francis didn't open with any kind of prayer, he never mentioned Jesus, even ONCE, and with the perfect opportunity to decry the evil of Planned Parenthood's baby organ harvest, chose to say nothing at all. That, unfortunately, should awaken discerning souls to this man's real beliefs and focus. The constantly lauded public humility on Francis's part also ultimately means nothing. Jesus himself said if you do a good deed and the whole world sets you on a pedestal, you've already received your reward, haven't you? This Pope's focus is politics, his god is secular humanism, and he is clearly maneuvering the world in a dangerous direction. He constantly speaks out of both sides of his mouth, deliberately setting confusion in the Church. Remember these other words of Jesus: "Let your 'yes' mean 'yes' and your 'no' mean 'no.' Anything else is of the Evil One." Indeed. May Jesus and his mother Mary protect all faithful souls from the spiritual catastrophe that may soon be upon us.

With the Moto propio of Sep 8, he has officially started to wash away the word of god mark 10:9 "what god has joined let no man tear asunder." I can now ring my local bishops office and 45 days later get a pdf certificate of nullity emailed out to me , and no Bishop will say no to the mockery of the sacrament of marriage, as the bishops must ne merciful in the head of false mercy, becsuse in the new mercy, the shepards have allow the uncatechized sheep run even fsster off the edge of the cliff into the abyss by washing away the word of god, of sin , and of the sacraments. Wake up people, the abomination of desolation has entered the temple of god.

The Church is likened to Noah's Ark---A very wise and astute man recently made this analogy:

Basically, the Church is like Noah’s ark – the ark of salvation.-The Devil will try anything to get us to jump overboard;-The Captain (Pope) seems erratic at times and we don’t understand some of his directives and personnel moves;-The fellow passengers grate on us as some of them are complete miscreants and don’t follow the Ark rules, but yet they insist upon remaining; while the more cunning ones who think they know better than the Captain seek to sow mutiny amongst the other passengers.-The ark isn’t going quite in the direction that we think is best,-And to top it off, the stench of the proverbial animals is nigh unbearable (the stench being all the many sins of the "faithful".)

Yet, while all of the above may be true, but the Ark is STILL the only path to salvation that Christ instituted, and if one jump overboard, the sharks will have their opportunity with them.

The root of the rot is in Vatican 2---which taught things in complete opposition to what the Church taught previously. I converted to the church of Vatican 2 back in 2003. I am thankful to Francis for all his heretical words and actions. I kept reading that he was the embodiment of Vat 2. This prompted me to actually read Vat 2 and compare it to pre-Vat 2 documents. It is altogether a different church. Loveable as they may have been Benedict and JP2 were both part of this false church.

I have since been conditionally re-baptized in an independent chapel with a priest ordained in the unquestionable old rite by a bishop consecrated in the unquestionable old rite.

A wealth of info concerning all of this can be found at Novus Ordo Watch.

I don't advocate any kind of rebellion, but I would have to turn my brain off not to see that he's a Modernist. Divorce pastoral practice from doctrine? I don't think so! He has gathered around him open heretics as his closest advisers. If he weren't Pope, people wouldn't deny the obvious truth about his beliefs and what he's trying to do to the Church.

Good article. It hurts me so much when people claiming to be Catholic speak so harshly against the Pope. Do they not realize he is not saying nor teaching anything different from his predecessors? The only thing different is his more pastoral style. He has yet to introduce anything different. Also people keep referring to his off the cuff comments and statements with disdain. Do they not know that secular media are spin doctors? Always, always rely on Catholic news sources, not secular or heretical media which always gets the info wrong! Also take into consideration that things do get lost in translation. Being that he mostly speaks in Italian or Spanish, if you do not read original transcripts it is easy to misunderstand things. I have yet to see any such disdain from speakers of either language towards the Pope. Also he is not a very verbose Pope, which I believe makes his choice of the name Francis very fitting. "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary" St Francis of Assisi.

Al, you are absolutely wrong. Sorry to say this. If media really lie about what the pope says, why the pope do not deny it publicly and loudly ???!!! Or do you really think that he in facts denies it but media do not inform about it? So we have two popes, one is devoted catholic who inculcates against spirit of the world and the other (virtual one created by media) is the one as we all know him? Sorry but this is so ridiculous.

This pope has absolutely no interest in salvation of souls through catholic church. He considers ecology and poverty of the world to be more important than salvation of souls. This pope do NOT believe that souls can be saved only through catholic church (directly or indirectly). He said many times that proselytism is something very wrong!!! Oh you poor saint proselyts of the catholic church! All you apostoles, saint Matthew, saint Francis Xavier, saint John of Capoistrano ... all you catholic missionaries who paid by your blood - it was useless!!! Because according to pope Francis you can be saved as well by Allah or Buddha.You can say pope Francis never said this ex cathedra. Yes he did not and he will never say this because he is not dull. But he said it indirectly so clearly many times! For example in his recent horrific video where representatives of four major religions says: I believe in Christ... I believe in Buddha.... I believe in Allah ...Can't you see that pope Francis is heading (along with hater of catholics Obama and others) to NWO? And I am pretty sure he knows what he is doing.

Catholics wake up!!! You will not go to hell that you criticize pope who's in fact no longer catholic. More likely you will go to hell if you stay with the non-catholic course which Francis set up (in fact it was already set up during 2VK but it would take another ten pages to write about this...). Even saints criticized very much their popes when they failed.

We must on the other hand not become sedisvacantist as Glenn and others many times said. Till the pope proclaims any heresy ex cathedra we all must acknowledge him as the real pope!

Lets' rely only on catholic catechism, stay always catholics, acknowledge pope Francis as the real pope, but do not follow him where he is not in accordance with catholic catechism. Also pray for pope Francis who is the most disastrous pope of the history.

By the way Glenn, are you serious you really support this pope? Acknowledging him is something totally different that to support him.

Pope Francis is right. He is an orthodox Jesuit who embodies the true Ignatian Spirituality. Yes, a Buddhist, a Protestant, a Muslim or even an Atheist can be saved as much as a Catholic can go to Hell. There is a doctrine called invincible ignorance. Before condemning Pope Francis let's get instructed on our Faith. Because, as the Spanish say "Católico ignorante, futuro protestante"

Juliana, I know what invincible ignorance is and I mentioned it in my article above: "... believe that souls can be saved only through catholic church (directly or indirectly)..."You should more study what invincible ignorance really means and I really recommend to you read carefully some good catholic catechism. Because once you learn about Jesus Christ as your savior from anybody you are than NO MORE invincible ignorant!!! Most of muslims and buddhists today DID OPENLY NOT accept Jesus Christ as their savior, they (muslims) only recognize him as a prophet. They are not invincible ignorants! Those will be certainly condemned if they will not turn to Catholic Church before they die! You can call invincible ignorant a man who lives for example somewhere in deep forest, never heard about Jesus Christ but truly believes in God and tries to serve him as he can.All those main representatives of muslims or buddhist or other sects are certainly not invincible ignorants, but pope Francis never mentions that they will go to hell if they will not convert to catholic faith. It is him who is responsible for loosing their souls because he even did not try to offer them Jesus. Instead of it he in fact place Catholic religion on the same level as other religions.Now please tell me why did Jesus Christ came to earth from heaven and died for us when we can be saved by invincible ignorance?

We love you, Glenn, and we pray for you! May I ask you a few honest questions: - When Pope Francis tells the world that you don't have to be a Catholic, you can even be an atheist and still go to Heaven, he is doing so -- ex cathedra or no -- in his position as the Holy Vicar of Christ. Is he not saying that Jesus came to earth, suffered and died for nothing because it was all unnecessary? - When he publicly prays with Jews, telling them that Jesus was not their Messiah, and that they can wait for another one, is he not denying Christ? "Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him." - When he prays with Muslims to their false god, is he not committing a mortal sin by publicly and grandly violating the 1st Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"? Ex cathedra or no, each of these is a public heresy, resulting in immediate excommunication according to canon law. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ of Nazareth assures us that the one, true, Holy, Roman Catholic Church is indefectible and cannot err, and the very gates of Hell will not prevail against Her. Can you reconcile this situation? Please be honest on this issue. Anyone can see there is something very, very wrong.Love and blessings in Christ,Arleta

The prophecies of recent years are no longer just the rantings of a few nutjobs.

The prophecies are now OFFICIAL FACTS, straight from the Vatican website, signed by the false prophet himself.

#AmorisLaetitia ¶3: “Each country/region can seek solutions better suited to its culture/traditions/local needs” [aka protestant style federation of (40000+) churches, no central church magisteriurm, relativism]2. #AmorisLaetitia ¶297: No one can be condemned for ever [ie, no one goes to hell]

3. #AmorisLaetitia ¶301: “It can no longer simply be said that all those in any irregular situations are living in a state of mortal sin. ” [ie adulterers (divorced/remarried), sodomites, fornicators are not in a state of mortal sin, sin does not exist, and the 6th commandment is washed away]

4. #AmorisLaetitia footnote #351: “In certain cases this can include the help of the sacraments” [ie adulterers (divorced/remarried), sodomites, fornicators may receive holy communion]

If a Pope were to err in regards to our Faith and morals, it would be clear that that particular pope, was not a true pope.

"Page 117, of the pope's book, On Heaven and Earth, in regards to same-sex unions“If there is a union of a PRIVATE NATURE, THERE IS NEITHER A THIRD PARTY NOR IS SOCIETY AFFECTED. Now, if this union is given the category of marriage and they are given adoption rights, there could be children affected. Every person needs a male father and female mother that can help them shape their identity. - Jorge Mario BergoglioApproval of same-sex sexual unions is approval of same-sex sexual acts. Prior to being elected pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, by condoning same-sex sexual acts in relationships that he referred to as private, did not include children, and were not called marriage, and thus denying that God Is The Author of Love, of Life, and of Marriage, denied The Divinity of The Blessed Trinity.The election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio is not valid.

"It arises from the necessity of salvation that all the faithful of Christ are to be subject to the Roman Pontiff." -- Fifth Lateran Council

"This gift of truth and never-failing faith was therefore divinely conferred on Peter and his successors in this See so that they might discharge their exalted office for the salvation of all, and so that the whole flock of Christ might be kept away by them from the poisonous food of error and be nourished with the sustenance of heavenly doctrine." -- First Vatican Council

The faith of the Pope cannot fail, so he can never teach heresy (teach something contrary to the faith), nor fall into the sins of apostasy or heresy or schism.

Many simply misunderstand doctrine and then rant against our Vicar of Christ, Father and Teacher of all Christians.

If some members of the Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church think and feel that Pope Francis is unbecoming as Vicar of Christ because of his careless remarks, shouldn't we as discerning Catholics see the need to pray even more for him and pray even more for ourselves?

Hell breaks loose. Satan is sending legion of strongest devils to tempt and attack the Pope, the visible head of the Catholic Church, and us.

The Devil, the Master Deceiver, is using these prophecies – supposedly, weapons against him, to uncover him and his works – against overzealous Catholics to distract them and be influenced by a Rebel Spirit.

Always pray the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for discernment that we won’t fall prey to far less obvious traps of the Devil. To be in communion with the Pope is holiness which pleases God. Trust Jesus that the Pope and his office is under the protection of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

The Pope and all the clergy need prayers more than what we think are wrong with them. The Catholic Church needs its faithful to stick to the precept of the Gospel: “Love one another,”to be prayerful, and to frequently receive the Church Sacraments. If grave errors have been made that may result to damnation, I can only trust God’s holy intervention. AMEN.

Seems that many conservative mistake their understanding of the faith with the faith itself. They have no need for a teacher who corrects them. We can know for sure what is Catholic based on what the Maagisterium teaches. The Church is indefectable, not the individual Catholic.

The fundamental question to ask here is "how do we know what is Catholic?" How can we know what is traditional or scriptural? Protestants say read the scriptures and traditionalists say read old Church documents. The Catholic understanding is that you listen to what the Magisterium says. For example, at VII the Magisterium said that religious liberty is not an error. This contradicts many peoples understanding of, say, the Syllable of Errors. But the point is, only the Magisterium has the authority to interpret the true meaning of scripture and tradition. Even if we have difficulties ourselves understanding how it could possibly be, we are obligated to submit, because God is guiding and protecting the Church. We can be wrong, but not the Church.

IMO conservatives are going through now what radical traditionalists went through regarding Vatican II. They can't see how what Pope Francis is teaching or promoting is Catholic, so they are getting ready to resist or reject him authority. But if he indeed is the rock he is the source of the Chruch's infallibility and indefectability in the first place. I stopped worrying about Church politics because I believe Jesus promised that the gates of hell can never prevail, which would happen if it could teach error. I am obligated to submit to the Pope, not resist him. If he teaches something I disagree with, he's probably right and I'm wrong.

I noticed (after needing some time to search it out) the date of this piece and the last comment.What's the consensus on the site now that Pope Francis' bishops are teaching different interpretations of the Laetitia encyclical?

Are we to blindly follow Pope Francis' teaching in his allowing communion for those in irregular marriages ie non-sacramental unions? I don't ask this to stir the pot, I ask out of a true desire to know when and where to use my prayerfully informed conscience on matters of far less importance than Matrimony.

There was much "taking a mile when given an inch" after VII; are things not at a similar if not more consequential crossroads today?

Hi Peter,Well, looking over Pope Francis' encyclical and exhortations along with his informal statements over the past couple of years, one thing is for for sure:Pope Francis is definitely not a towering traditional/conservative minded theologian like Popes Benedict or John Paul II, nor will he be known for clarity in many of his informal statements, most especially in his "off the cuff" statements to reporters.

I suppose we Catholics were somewhat "spoiled" in the past couple of decades with the theological precision and clarity of Popes Benedict and John Paul II (most especially the former). Obviously such is not so much now the case with Pope Francis. While for centuries the Jesuits were towering theological intellectuals, unfortunately nowadays there Community is more known for its striking liberalism, leading more than one commentator to remark how St. Ignatius of Loyola must be "rolling in his grave" with the theological innovations espoused by many of his spiritual sons nowadays (I will however specifically exclude the Pope out of this statement, at least for now). Hopefully Pope Francis will continue to remain within the doctrinal and dogmatic boundaries held by the Church through the centuries.

Thanks for your comments and may God bless you and your loved ones,Glenn Dallaire

I love the Catholic Church so much and that includes obedience to the Magisterium. And that is why I am deeply troubled by this recent discovery online about Pope Francis, his views and teachings. I am speechless. But I won't stop loving the Church and the Pope with all His glaring views. So, I will try to say my rosary diligently from today. Hopefully if I have enough time I look forward to do the whole 20 Mysteries in a day. I am to add fasting on that list too. Not just on chicken wings and cheese cakes but with the time I spent on Facebook, Instagram and pinterest. I am going to increase time spending in reading spiritual books and doing some corporal works of mercy. In my little sufferings I am going to present it to God for the conversion of sinners in the Catholic Church and the whole world. I hope with all my heart I can do what I have written down here and hopefully in my own little ways I can do my part in God's salvation plan. Thanks Glenn. And all who have commented whether you're with or against Pope Francis. You have made my day. God bless each and everyone of you.

Praise the Lord. I have seen the below comments in one of the post:""Everything about the annulment reforms that led to what is now being overwhelmingly called "Catholic Divorce" was done by Pope Francis in an untraditional and authoritarian manner. Rather - it was untraditional precisely because it was so authoritarian. A Church in which such a foundational Sacrament as Matrimony is affected by a mere pen-stroke by such "changes in usage" as those proposed by the new motu proprio is a Church "torn to pieces".""All said and done, I am a victim of this new reformation, my husband has abandoned me in India and he is hiding in Australia plus taken ex parte divorce. This new reformation has encouraged several catholics to remarry whilst continuing in the first marriage spiritually and legally (legally because we were legally married in India and not in Australia and after he stole lands and everything from me he disappeared in Australia and cancelled my new visa before I could enter Australia) which means we are still married. I too was harbouring hatred for Pope Francis....not anymore...however as he is giving in to pressure of demands...LETS PRAY FOR HIM TO OUR GOD THE FATHER..SON AND HOLY SPIRIT AND COVER OUR POPE WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.that he be guided by the Holy Spirit..I am suffering at this point of time, health, jobless, in many ways..it sometimes becomes difficult to pray too and increase my faith, but nevertheless lets pray for each other and pray for our Church, its challanges, especially our Pope. May God Bless U all immensely. In Christ.

Hi Glenn! I know you love Holy Mother Church and submit to Her Magisterial authority. I do too. But I just think it's worth pointing out how very disturbing it can be to hear Francis say Christ "made Himself the devil" or that the Holy Trinity probably "argue behind closed doors." An off-the-cuff manner of expression may be one thing, suggesting a person may be rough around the edges but still be brilliant. But these statements seem to be blasphemous. I would be the last person to suggest a rebellion against Church authority (I say this with deep love). But it's also very hurtful to hear these things from one tasked to be the Vicar of Christ. God bless you.

As for my take on Pope Francis, well, let me just put it this way---in comparison to recent Pope's, he is certainly no Pope St John Paul II or Pope Benedict, that is for sure! And another thing is for sure---at this rate he sure isn't going to be remembered for his strict adherence to Catholic orthodoxy, teaching and tradition---but to me, most troubling are his numerous "off the cuff" statements to the press over the years, which often come off as being quite modernist. For sure, speaking with theological and moral precision is NOT his strong point.

Hi Glenn, The worst attacks on the Pope come from the good, from those who think themselves more "orthodox" than the Pope. Never forget he is the Vicar of Christ chosen by the Holy Spirit.

These have come steadily and surely over Pope Francis's papacy, and have increased in frequency and severity of late. Those who say they want clarity and don't understand aren't reading the documents or aren't listening. This Pope is the pope of mercy and a wonderful defender of the sacrament of marriage.

I believe his two predecessors Pope John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI would agree with this, and not your more recent assessment. Don't be swayed by the critics and the "filial correctors". Our Lord had His critics too.

In short my take is that throughout the two millennia history of the Church one can readily see that there has been some very good, saintly Popes, and then for numerous reasons there have been some that were not so much. And for the reasons I mentioned above (first and foremost the fact that I do not find him to be theologically precise at times, especially in his off the cuff statements) that this particular Pope is definitely not on my short list of Popes that I personally esteem and admire.

While I have, and always will give complete assent to the Pope and the bishops in communion with him, at the same time I recognize that one is free to respectfully question and even disagree with the Pope on matters not pertaining to officially defined positions on faith and morals. And so it is that in certain matters that are outside of his authority that I personally respectfully disagree with Pope Francis.

Here is one example: When the four Cardinals respectfully submitted a Dubia seeking clarity on ‘Amoris Laetitia’ (which is completely in their authority to do, as Cardinals) Pope Francis definitely SHOULD have formally responded---this is established Church protocol. Instead, he has repeatedly chosen to ignore the Dubia, and he rejected also a formal request for a meeting with these four Cardinals seeking clarification.

And so it is matters such as these that cause this writer to have a lesser admiration for this present Pope, though as stated earlier I give complete assent to his authority as a legitimately elected Pope, and I always keep him in my poor prayers.

-Just my .02 cents, for whatever it is worth.Thanks again for your comments and may God bless you and your loved ones.Glenn Dallaire

Yours is a great response Glenn. He needs all of our poor prayers, and I'm certain appreciates them. As for the Dubia, there were many, many Cardinals who did not see the need for a clarification. Therefore not all Cardinals are all confused as to what was said in Amoris Laetitia. In my view the request for clarification is more in the hopes of getting a different response than what was said clearly in Amoris Laetitia, particularly in chapter 8. By my reading of the document, being neither a theologian nor an academic, the document is clear. It recommends individual pastoral care in a world where there are a wide range of circumstances with respect to marriage, some tragic, some unfortunate, many broken.

Our Lady of the Rosary said to Jacinta in her hospital room that many marriages are not of God, and God is not pleased by them. Was she attacking marriage by saying that? In no way was she. She was expressing a reality of the time, a reality which sadly still exists today. Pope Francis is trying to reach out to people who are in these broken situations. He is reaching out in mercy. How sad that he is being called un-orthodox for doing so. What is not orthodox for Catholics is to deny people the care they so desperately need in this world. I do see this as a major shift in the church. There are those who seek to understand and follow what the Pope is doing, and there are those who reject him as un-orthodox. As for me and my house, we will follow Pope Francis, come what may.

I am one of the sinners he is offering mercy to.

I hope you take this comment with the kindness with which I am offering it. But my heart is troubled by so much dissent with our Pope.Peace to you, and I am grateful for your continued good work on this beautiful website.JohnL

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Obedience to the Church

"Why do you talk to me as if I am so far away? I am very near....in your heart.""Ask Me for love. Ask Me; I am burning with desire to give it to you""Talk to Me. For Me there is no sweeter prayer"-Words of our Lord to Gabrielle Bossis.